From Social Media to Global Misinformation: the Role of Citizen Journalism and Photojournalism in the Spread of False News Amid the Bangladesh Crisis -A Case Analysis

Abstract

In this digital age, social media platforms—particularly Facebook and X, the old Twitter—have emerged as the main venues for citizen journalism and photojournalism, particularly in times of crisis like the upheaval in Bangladesh. Social media facilitates real-time recordkeeping, but it also makes it simple to spread misinformation and fake news. During the Bangladesh crisis, the research used citizen-generated digital photographs and videos to dissect how false narratives were spread, echo chambers developed, and disinformation spread throughout the globe with a communal angle leading to the creating of dynamo effect of misinformation and polarization. This highlights the amplification of false information within online networks, which heightens social tensions, and is known as the "dynamo effect." According to the research, ethical standards for digital journalism activities that aid in the dissemination of false information are necessary.